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cursing.in curse like a local

Japanese · Frustration

黙れ

damare

dah-MAH-reh · /damaɾe/

Shut up / shut your mouth

3/5 Watch your audience

genuinely rude; friends only, never at work

Literally

"be silent (imperative)"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

The top of the shut-up ladder: where urusai is "you're annoying," damare is a cold, hard command to be silent — no complaint, an order. Feels genuinely aggressive from an adult and can escalate a room fast. "Damare!" alone, or the curter "damatte-ro" (stay shut). Reserve it; urusai handles most situations.

Heard in the wild

黙れ、お前には関係ない。

Shut up — this has nothing to do with you.

Where it lands

Nationwide

Quick answers

What does "黙れ" mean?
In Japanese, "黙れ" means "Shut up / shut your mouth". Literally it's "be silent (imperative)". The top of the shut-up ladder: where urusai is "you're annoying," damare is a cold, hard command to be silent — no complaint, an order. Feels genuinely aggressive from an adult and can escalate a room fast. "Damare!" alone, or the curter "damatte-ro" (stay shut). Reserve it; urusai handles most situations.
Is "黙れ" offensive?
It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
How do you pronounce "黙れ"?
Say it "dah-MAH-reh" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: damaɾe.

Related in Japanese

うるさい urusai oo-roo-SIGH Shut up / you're too loud / quit nagging 馬鹿野郎 baka-yarō BAH-kah yah-ROH You stupid bastard / you goddamn idiot クソ野郎 kuso-yarō KOO-so yah-ROH Piece of shit / shitty bastard この野郎 kono-yarō KO-no yah-ROH Why you...! / you little...! のろま noroma no-RO-mah Slowpoke / dead weight キモい kimoi KEE-moy Gross / creepy / disgusting

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Shut up".

how to say "Shut up" →

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